The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes for this wine were hand -picked from our Lake Cynthia Vineyard on September 30, 2008. The grapes were picked, delivered to the winery, hand sorted and crushed on the same day. The juice was on the skins for about 30 hours. The wine was then aged, sur lie (which means in contact with the yeast or lees) in neutral French barrels for about 5 months prior to bottling. The 2008 season started with a very dry winter, and a warm early spring resulting in bud break about two weeks earlier than normal. The growing season was marked by warm sunny days and cool nights with virtually no rain from March 15 until after harvest. A significant heat spike in early September and then again late in September led an earlier than usual harvest. However, during the last week in September, while the day-time temperature was above 90 degrees F, the night-time temperatures were in the low 40s and high 30s until harvest resulting in good acidity and a marvelously balanced wine.

“An exceptional blend of light black cherry, white strawberry and raspberry flavors together with a hint of black current. This is a very surprising dry, dry Rose’ style wine. It combines soft, supple tannins and crisp, balanced acidity to provide a unique Rose with clear structure. It is rare to find such a combination of fruit, spice and depth of color in a Rose'. This wine was recently tasted (October of 2010) with the 2007 Scherzo and it is clear that these wines not only drink well very young, but they also become better with a year or two of age. This wine could last well for 10 years, unheard of in other American rose’ style wines.